Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 나 | na | [na̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 저 | jeo | [t͡ɕʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | humble |
These terms are used to refer to oneself. Note that 아이 is a separate noun referring to the name of the letter I.
Which one should you use?
나 is the informal version of "I", whereas 저 is the humble version used to show respect to the listener.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
나 is used in informal situations with friends or people younger than you. 저 is a humble form used to show respect to elders or superiors. For example, 제가 is a formal way to say "I".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the pronoun changes depending on the grammatical particle attached. When using the informal 나 as a topic, you add the particle 는 to form 나는. If 나 is the subject of a sentence, it becomes 내가 when the subject particle 가 is attached. Similarly, when using the humble 저 as a topic, you add the particle 는 to form 저는. If 저 is the subject of a sentence, it changes to 제가 when the subject particle 가 is attached.
How do you pronounce it?
na
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the informal 나 instead of the humble 저 when speaking to people of higher social status or older age.
Did you know?
- Because of a phonetic coincidence, many people once mistakenly believed the humble 'I' 저 originated from the Chinese character for 'chopsticks' 箸.
- In natural conversation, Korean speakers frequently omit the word for 'I' entirely if the context makes it clear who is speaking.
- The humble form 저 was once used as a general reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself', 'herself' or 'itself' in Middle Korean.
Examples in context
- 나 좀 놀고 싶어.I want to have some fun.This sentence shows how to express a personal desire using 나.Tatoeba #13761888 by qlTmalffk, translation #8045286 by CK
- 나는 톰을 잘 안다.I know Tom well.This sentence demonstrates using the topic form 나는.Tatoeba #5526753 by raining211, translation #2376236 by CK
- 나 자러 가고 싶어.I want to go to sleep.Tatoeba #8369708 by Eunhee, translation #2011674 by CK
- 제가 한국어를 배우고 있습니다.I am learning Korean.
- 제 생각은 다릅니다.My opinion is different.
- 나는 현재 한국에 살고 있어.I am currently living in Korea.
- 나는 학생이야.I am a student.
- 815 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minjun and Subin are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- 민준 Min-jun나 배고파. 뭐 먹을까?na baegopa. mwo meogeulkka?I'm hungry. What should we eat?
- 수빈 Su-bin떡볶이 어때?tteokbokki eottae?How about tteokbokki?
- 민준 Min-jun나 그거 좋아!na geugeo joa!I love that!
- 수빈 Su-bin그럼 빨리 가자.geureom ppalli gaja.Then let's go quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I” translations and entries 나, 저, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 나, 저, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
